We Have An Enemy

" Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5: 8

The Bible is clear that we have an enemy.  His name is Satan.  John 8:44 tells us he is a liar and the father of it.  And John 10:10a states "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."

If you've been a Christian very long, I'm sure you have heard all of this.  Even if you aren't a Christian, you may have heard this before.  But, as a child, I don't think you really understand this and as an adult, I don't know if we always take it seriously enough. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, as a child I tried to build walls around my heart to protect myself from hurt. As an adult I have come to understand that Satan is looking for any opportunity we give him to take advantage of us; to work his way into our lives and to fill places that were meant to be filled by Christ.

Jesus should be our protector and provider. Un-beknowing to me, when I tried to protect myself, I was giving Satan a way to take advantage and move in.  He doesn't play fair you know.  Who better to prey on than little children. I bought into the lie that I could protect my heart.  I bought into the lies that I was unwanted, unneeded and unloved.  Because of those lies, I made choices that lead to regrets, feelings of shame, no self-worth, feelings of now being unlovable and more internal pain.   These all cemented those walls even more.  Walls that I would one day want to tear down, but find myself trapped within an unable to tear down myself.

Thankfully my story doesn't end there.  It would take some years but I would come to more intimately know and trust the only One who could and would tear down the walls and set me free!  Jesus is His name.  My Redeemer truly does live!  John 10:10 goes on to say, " I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." 

If you are struggling today, don't let shame, regrets or lies from the enemy make you think there is no hope.  Jesus is our hope!  You are not hopeless.  You are not a lost cause.  You are not any of the lies the enemy has told you.  Remember, he came to kill, steal and destroy but Jesus, Jesus is our redeemer, restorer, our hope and our life. We have an enemy, but we can have victory through Jesus. 

I would not be here today if it wasn't for Jesus.  What the enemy meant as a weapon and means to destroy me, Jesus is turning around and now I am here to help others to know you too can break through the lies, you too can be victorious, you too can destroy the plans that the enemy has for you and walk in the plans God has for you.  Jeremiah 29:11 " For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Insert your name in this declaration from the Lord. He means it.  

You can be free.  You are worth it!

Violet